Creating Chaos - For Fitness & Sport Professionals

Now that kettlebells are well launched in the fitness industry, it's incredible as someone extremely passionate about them to see so many people using them and enjoying the great benefits. However, it is our jobs as coaches to help people use them safely and not just enjoy them but respect them.

10 years ago, blank faces would appear at the mention of kettlebells but nowadays, most have heard if not actually experienced them.

This is great news as a coach as you don't have to continually explain from scratch the entire concept. However, it does mean that the influences are now much more diverse and vast and invariably fuelled commercially.

The danger being that there are good influences and examples out there but equally, there are bad influences and examples. Due to the nature of kettlebells, this can be particularly dangerous.

The question is, how do you ensure that you remain a good influence on your clients?

Well, here are some top tips to keep you in the good books:

1. Whilst your clients are learning or if they haven't used them in a while, muscle test! Specifically look at the glutes in hip extension. If the glutes aren't firing then use PNF or glute focussedpatterns to activate. Using kettlebells with inactive glutes is asking for injury.

2. Get clients to breathe abdominally. If clients aren't setting or bracing whilst using bells, then again, the risk of injury is higher. Breathing is the most fundamental function of living and breathing abdominally is natural to us, it primes the inner core, protects spine and sets hip alignment. The problem is that for most of us, we learn how to breathe higher in the lungs as we become adults.

3. Make sure your technique is spot on by regular practise and a commitment to learn and develop. Kettlebells is an art form as well as an excellent conditioning tool. Regularly using them will ensure you keep your teaching points fresh and current whilst carrying that all important enthusiasm. Be selective over who you follow the example of.

If you'd like to find out more about becoming an instructor or an advanced instructor visit www.teamchaosuk.com


- Posted whilst adventurising using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Leeds, UK

It's a competitive market, more and more trainers are coming on the scene and the demand to be better than the rest continues to grow. Would having a few more clients make your life easier?

Well, you have a number of options:

• Advertise in local media
• Leaflets, posters and hard copy print work
• Blog posting
• Newsletters
• Social media (facebook - twitter)
• Existing clients
• The list goes on

Well, looking at the list, which ones are realistic for you? They're not all super expensive but it's worth pointing out that even the free ones cost in time and be aware of how much time is required to make them effective. How much time can you commit to regular input? How much time do you want to commit to it?

Coming from someone who has spent thousands on local media with very little results, I have no harm in saying that making huge mistakes has led us to understand which avenues are most appropriate for us.

With advertising, I would say that to get a worthy return, you need to really invest into numerous types at the same time with an effective marketing strategy. Each string needs to be clear with a call to action and always test your adverts before going live with them.

As a small company, sole trader or technician, the most realistic option to be effective is getting the biggest fans of you to do the advertising for you. Adverts aren't living and breathing. Unless you can afford TV adverts nationally, then get your customers to bring your message to life to new people. Being creative, inventive and having the confidence of your own conviction, offer your existing clients reward or incentive to refer new people to you.

It is human nature to want to help people. Clients love feeling like they had a part to play in supporting and assisting you. As long as you are making sure they feel valued, thanked and are recieving the personal appreciation for their support, they'll stick with you.

Putting a referral system in place mid way through a client relationship can be a little tricky. From the moment you meet a client, the relationship parameters and expectations are being built, every communication in face, email or by phone adds to this and therefore presenting a referral system way into an existing relationship can be a little clumsy. Presenting this at the very start is the best way to clarify expectations. Why not have it as part of your consultation, screening forms or even t & c's.

If you'd like ideas on what the most effective incentives for referrals are, drop me a line phill@creatingchaos.co.uk